Youth resentenced as adult

AN 18-year-old who committed offences as a 16-year-old was sentenced in Gladstone District Court as an adult. The original offences were dealt with on April 23, 2009, when the offender was 16.

The offender, who cannot be named as the original offences occurred when he was a child, was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm while armed, assault occasioning bodily harm while in company, break and enter, two counts of indecent treatment of a child and trespass. On September 7 last year he faced court on 20 counts of break-and-enter and on June 4 this year he faced court for going armed in public with a knife.

The offender failed to report to his probation officer 13 times, failed to provide his change of address several times, didn’t attend a sexual offender’s course and failed to attend community service 15 times. However he had completed 100 out of his 150 hours community service.

Legal Officer Majella Lapeik asked for the orders to be revoked and to re-sentence the man to 12 months jail. Defence Barrister David Murray said his client offended due to peer group pressure.

“My client has no good reason for his breaches, is unemployed but he has his rehabilitation under way and has made advancements,” Mr Murray said. “Jail will upset this rehabilitation.”

“If there is a chance of rehabilitation I am not going to put him in jail,” Judge Koppenol said. “I’m satisfied you have undergone significant rehabilitation in the last 12 months.”

Judge Koppenol said the breaches were proven and probation would continue until April 23, 2012.

He was ordered to complete the remaining 50 hours community service plus a further 50 hours and ordered to undertake a sexual offender’s course at Griffith University.

Meanwhile, failure to report for probation seven times landed a man in Gladstone District Court last week.

Trevor William Roberts was sentenced to three years probation and community service on March 11, 2008, for stealing items from construction sites. He has been charged with further offences during his probation period and failed to report to his probation officer on seven separate occasions. The defendant had a poor traffic and criminal history. Judge Koppenol said the breach was proven and fined Roberts $500 with three months to pay.